


Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction 2019

by Halcyon_Writes



Series: 2019 Miraculous Fanfic [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2020-07-30 22:16:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20104483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halcyon_Writes/pseuds/Halcyon_Writes
Summary: All the fanfic I've written in 2019 for Miraculous Ladybug!No hate will be tolerated, if you don't agree with one or more of the ships in this collection, just move on to the next chapter/ignore it. Thank you!





	1. Red Dress (Marigami/Kagaminette)

Marinette was standing in the middle of the ballroom, looking around. Somehow, Chloe Bourgeois had gotten her to London to interrupt the dance between Kagami and Adrien. Marinette didn’t know why Chloe just didn’t come to the ball herself, she would fit in more, but nonetheless, Marinette was in London.

Chloe walked in. “Are you ready for this? No pressure or anything, but this is a lot of pressure on your shoulders. If you ruin this, you are ridiculous.”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Utterly ridiculous,” she muttered under her breath.

“Are you mocking me? I could just send you straight back to Paris right now!” Chloe started to get mad.

“I don’t get why you don’t do this yourself. You belong here, not me. Send me back to Paris for all I care.”

“No, you need to stay here and finished the plan. No matter how rude you are, you’re staying right where you are.”

Marinette crossed her arms and asked the question she had been meaning to ask for a while. “Why don’t you just do this instead of me?”

“Adrien will think I’m being childish or mean to Kagami, he knows you’re nice.” Chloe leant all her weight over one leg and propped her arm against her other elbow, her signature pose. “And your dress is already made.”

Marinette tried to remember the dress she was supposed to wear but came up with nothing. “What dress?”

“There’s a red dress waiting for you. It’s a red Ladybug themed one, I thought that would be your colour. Something different from your usual clothes. I designed it myself and my personal stylists made it almost exactly to what I had on the paper.”

Marinette nodded and tried to hide the shock. She knew Chloe couldn’t design to save her own life, especially after what happened with the hat design competition. The dress would have probably turned out to be a disaster, even with the professional help of the stylists. Even the best designers in Paris would have no chance.

“Go and change, it's waiting in your suite.” Chloe tossed a key to Marinette. She had room 419, up a few floors and on the other side of the hotel. Marinette left the ballroom and headed to her room.

On her way to her room, Marinette tried to imagine what her dress could look like. Chloe wore a lot of yellow, and stripes, so Marinette could only imagine a Queen Bee themed dress. Or maybe something with the same flower pattern as Marinette’s shirt and the same colour as her pants, but Chloe wouldn’t have noticed that much, right?

Arriving much quicker than she had expected, Marinette pushed the key into the lock on her door. When she opened the door and looked around, she gasped in wonder. The suite was magnificent. There was a large living area, with doors leading off into other rooms. Right in the middle of the room was a dress in a black garment bag on a rolling hanging rack.

As she unzipped the bag, the dress was revealed centimetre by centimetre. It was stunning.

It was ruby red with a fitted bodice and long loose sleeves. The neckline had tiny black jewels lined around it, making it glimmer and sparkle. Just when Marinette thought that the top was fancy and exuberant, she looked at the skirt.

The skirt was something else entirely. The entire dress was made from heavy velvet, but the skirt looked like it was made from the lightest clouds in the sky. All over the skirt, there were circles made from the same black gems as the neckline. It looked like the ballgown version of Ladybug’s suit.

Marinette ghosted her fingers over the dress. She was amazed by it. And she got to wear it for an entire night!

Quickly changing, Marinette did a spin in front of the mirror. The skirt fanned out around her, the gems casting little patterns of light across the ceiling and up the walls.

“This is incredible,” Marinette whispered to herself.

Grabbing the key from the front table, Marinette put her heels on and walked back down to the ballroom to meet up with Chloe. She also had to get her hair and makeup done before the ball started in a few hours.

Marinette pushed the doors back open and Chloe stood up from the chair she was sitting in on one side of the hall.

She looked Marinette up and down and nodded in approval. Chloe had high expectations for the dress, even if her designs were nowhere near the quality of Gabriel Agreste’s, or even Marinette’s. In the end, it had turned out better than expected, the scribbles of her design turning into something magnificent. “Your dress looks amazing, Marinette. Adrien will notice you for sure.”

Marinette couldn’t help but smile at the compliment. “Thank you.”

“Now, off to hair and makeup. The ball is going to start soon and you do not want to be late.”

[C]|||

“You look lovely tonight, Marinette.”

Marinette blushed at the compliment, the second one on her appearance that day. Despite being here to get Adrien away from Kagami, Marinette had ended up being whisked away by none other than the fencing queen. The two of them were whirling on the dance floor, their red dresses swirling together. “You look amazing, too. No wonder you caught Adrien’s eye.”

Kagami smiled. It was only a small smile, but it was a smile. “I think Adrien was looking more at you. Especially with that dress. You look like you stole Ladybug’s suit.”

Marinette kicked the dress gently from underneath so it moved differently than it should have, revelling in the compliment. She had always thought Kagami was pretty, and that had ended up feeding into the insecurities that lead her here, to this very situation. She was dancing with Kagami Tsurugi at a ball in London.

“Dupain-Cheng! What are you doing? You’re supposed to be keeping everyone else away from Adrien, not dragging Kagami off and dancing with her! Get back on task,” Chloe hissed, straight through the earpiece and into Marinette’s ear.

Kagami reached up brushed Marinette’s hair behind her ear. She pulled the Bluetooth out of her ear gently and crushed it in the palm of her hand. “Even though I know she’s probably not lying, hearing her shout at you every few seconds was getting a little annoying.”

“It was.”

“So you are just here to keep Adrien away from everyone?”

Kagami and Marinette continued to move around the dance floor, caught up in each other’s eyes. It was like the entire world no longer existed, it was just them alone.

“I was supposed to, but I guess I’ve been a little bit distracted. Chloe’s going to be mad, though.”

“My mother is going to be mad at me as well. I think she and Monsieur Agreste are planning something with Adrien and I, or something that involves us. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t think it’ll be anything like an arranged marriage.”

An arranged marriage? Chloe would flip. Marinette would probably have some kind of moment too, but it probably wasn’t going to be the same as Chloe’s.

Marinette pulled Kagami away from the dance floor and towards the door into the garden. “I think I need some fresh air.”

“I’ll come with you.” Kagami tried to follow Marinette out into the garden, but Marinette slipped through the door and shut it partially behind her.

“It’s fine, Kagami, just give me a minute.” Marinette shut the door behind her and walked into the garden. There were trees draped in twinkling fairy lights everywhere, making up for the stars that were hidden behind all the city lights. Marinette looked out over the garden and down the hill, letting the view calm her.

“Having issues with your dance partners?” Someone else had come into the garden without her noticing, but the door was almost completely silent.

Marinette turned around to see Adrien standing under one of the path lights, staring at her intensely. Her heart still jumped a bit, it wasn’t like her crush on him had disappeared over one night, but it was dulled slightly.

“A few problems with the people who wouldn’t be around her.” Marinette turned back around to the city. No one had specifically told her to stay away from Kagami, but she knew that once Gabriel Agreste came into equation she wouldn’t be able to do anything, especially when it involved Adrien.

“You should just talk to her, and work it out. Kagami is reasonable,” Adrien said, walking over to stand next to Marinette.

Marinette was shocked. How did Adrien figure out her situation with Kagami so fast, yet couldn’t see that she had a crush on him when it was practically in his face? “How did you know that it was Kagami? I didn’t mention her name.”

“You were dancing with her for ages, and you both looked like you were a married couple.”

Marinette blushed. She hadn’t known that she was that obvious, but once she thought about it, all of her friends had guessed her crush on Adrien. Maybe she wasn’t that good at hiding her thoughts?

“I’d better get back inside before someone starts looking for me. Just talk to her!” With that, Adrien was gone. Marinette knew that he had to talk to his father’s investors and the other guests, some of which were in attendance with their daughters for the sole purpose of meeting Adrien Agreste.

Marinette decided it was time to go back inside and face the music. Chloe would probably be in the ballroom looking for her after Kagami smashed the earpiece when they were dancing, and Kagami would probably be looking for her after she ditched her when they were dancing. It was going to be a mess.

When she turned around, the door opened. Kagami stepped out, holding two glasses. She held one out to Marinette. “Adrien said you were thirsty but he couldn’t get you a drink because he had to talk to people, so he sent me.”

“Thank you.” Marinette took the glass. Adrien playing matchmaker was not one of the things she needed right now, she just needed to speak to Kagami so they both knew what was happening tonight, and after tonight as well.

“I know you probably don’t want to talk to me, but I can explain.”

“You don’t need to, I was the one who walked away, and I’m sorry.” Marinette finished her sentence as quickly and calmly as she could before she took a sip of her water to ease her drying throat.

“Maybe we could discuss this further over a date sometime? You’ve been out here a fair bit of time and the ball is nearly over.”

Marinette was in shock. She had danced with Kagami with an hour to go before the ball ended, but she had been outside nearly the entire time since? Had she dozed off or something?

“How are you so direct? I always stutter and mess up my words and make a fool out of myself!”

Kagami winked at Marinette and stepped closer to her, leaning closer to her ear to whisper, “I told you I never hesitate.’’


	2. Hair Dye (Luka Couffaine x Alix Kubdel)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written 15/07/19

The beauty aisle of the supermarket was a very popular place, especially the hair dye section. With so many people in Paris dying their hair constantly, it was no surprise people would run into each other often. 

Alix was looking through the different shades of pink, trying to decide if she should change her hair colour or keep it the same. She eventually decided to keep her hair the same and pulled the box from the shelf, ready to leave.

As she was walking towards the checkout, Alix spotted Luka walking through the doors. She waved, recognising him after all the time she had spent at Juleka’s house. He smiled and waved back, walking straight to her. He looked different. He wasn’t carrying his guitar around and walked differently, like he was on a mission or something.

“Hello, Alix.” Luka looked down at Alix with a smile on his face. He had seen Alix around when she was at his house, always energetic and full of crazy ideas. She was the opposite of Juleka and balanced out the calm of the other girls perfectly.

There was silence for a few moments before Alix thought of something to say. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m just buying more hair dye for Juleka. She thinks the ends of her hair are fading, but they never really seem to fade. I’m guessing you’re doing the same.” He pointed to the box in Alix’s hand. “That’s the same shade you usually have.”

“Did Juleka tell you that or do you just notice too much?”

“It’s the same colour you used to dye Juleka’s hair once, a long time ago. And my hair, now that I think about it.”

Alix laughed, remembering that afternoon. She had been hanging out with Juleka, Rose and Mylene when Juleka had decided that she wanted to change her hair colour. They had rushed to the closest shop, the one Alix and Luka were in now, and Alix had convinced them to buy the same hair dye she used. 

When they got back to Juleka’s house-boat, they re-dyed the tips of Juleka’s hair, gave Rose a pink streak and dyed a few strands of Mylene’s hair pink. Alix’s hair was already pink, so they skipped her hair.

After everyone’s hair was finished, there was still hair dye left. It was at that exact moment that Luka had walked out of his room, heading towards the kitchen. All four girls ambushed him and made him dye his hair bright pink, too.

“I’m sorry we did that to you.” 

“I don’t mind, I looked pretty cool for a while after. My hair didn’t match the rest of my wardrobe, but at least I looked cool.” Luka didn’t know why, but he just kept talking, making sure Alix didn’t feel bad about the hair dye incident. 

“Well, that’s… something.” Alix smiled. After they had dyed Luka’s hair, she had felt slightly bad. After all, everything Luka wore was blue to match his hair, and suddenly his hair was bright pink. That would have taken a bit of adjusting. Good thing it was only temporary.

“I should grab the hair dye.” 

“Oh, yeah, wouldn’t want to keep you waiting around. Juleka probably wants her normal hair back, right?”

“I don’t mind. You’re fun to talk to.” Not ready to leave, Luka started to walk away from Alix. He hoped she would want to keep talking to him and follow him, otherwise he’d see her around whenever she was with Juleka next. 

Alix made her mind up in seconds. She didn’t want to be annoying, but she just didn’t want her conversation to end. There was something about him, something calming, even more so than his sister. She started walking after him. “That’s nice. I’d hate to be annoying.”

Luka grinned. Alix still wanted to talk to him, and he had no complaints. “What colour does Juleka use? I forgot to ask her before I left.”

Alix examined a few boxes, trying to remember what she had seen sitting in Juleka’s room. “I think it’s this one.”

“Violet. That seems about right.” Luka pulled the box from the shelf. “Maybe I should dye my hair again. Any suggestions?” 

“You should dye it bright orange. All over. No gaps. You’ll have to change your wardrobe, but I’m sure you can make it work.” Gesturing to a nearby box, Alix hoped Luka knew she was joking.

“I think you’re right.” 

‘I can’t believe I’m actually going to do this,’ Luka thought as he stacked the orange hair dye onto the purple hair dye he was already holding. If this was going to catch Alix’s attention, then he would do it. Even though it was crazy and out of the blue, it was worth it. Where had that thought even come from?

“I was kidding, you don’t actually have to dye your hair!” Alix was starting to panic. Luka had taken it seriously and was going to ruin his hair.

Luka laughed, watching Alix panic for a few seconds. “I know you were joking, but why not? I may as well change it up. You should dye your hair with me.”

Alix laughed. “No, I think this hair colour is alright. I’ll let you do that one yourself.”

“Come on, just the ends of your hair or something. For a laugh.”

“Fine. But only after I’ve dyed my hair pink.” 

“When is that going to be?” Luka started to walk towards the checkouts, with Alix following him. 

“I don’t know, when are you free?”

“Anytime in the near future. It’s all your choice.” Luka placed his boxes onto the conveyer belt to be scanned. Alix moved a separator between their shopping and placed her hair dye down, only to have Luka remove the separator. “I’ll pay.”

“I have my own money, you know.”

“But I want to pay, since this seems like a first date.”

“A first date? I didn’t know we were already that close.” Alix crossed her arm and smiled.

“I’m still going to pay, even if it doesn’t count.”

“It doesn’t count at all. We’re in a grocery store, that isn’t a good place for a first date. You could at least take me to the park or something.”

“Are you really telling me where I should take you on a date?”

“Yes, I am. Should I schedule a time as well?” 

Luka handed over enough money to pay for all the hair dyes. “No, I think I can manage that one. Does tomorrow suit you?”

“It does.”

“Then I, Luka Couffaine, officially ask you, Alix Kubdel, on a date at exactly three o’clock in the afternoon. I will pick you up, don’t worry.” Luka took the three boxes and thanked the cashier. Alix thanked the cashier and walked out with him. 

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Alix took her hair dye from Luka. “Maybe we should dye our hair together.”

“That’s fine with me. We can decide tomorrow.” They stopped near the door of the shopping centre. “Bye.”

“Bye, Luka.” Alix smiled before she turned and started to walk away. 

“Alix, wait for a moment.” Luka stopped her and Alix turned to see him walking towards her.

“Is everything okay?”

“It is, I just forgot to do this.” He gave Alix a smile before leaning down and kissing her on the cheek quickly. “Have a good afternoon.”

Alix was stuck in place, her mouth open and her cheek ablaze. She watched as Luka walked in the other direction before feeling like she was about to fall to her knees. Until this point, she hadn’t realised her feelings for Luka were this strong or this romantic. How on earth was she going to keep it together on their date tomorrow?

While Alix was freaking out, Luka was trying to get his thoughts together. In the heat of the moment, he had kissed Alix on the cheek, and the next time they saw each other would be incredibly awkward. He looked at the orange hair dye in his hand. Maybe the best idea was to actually dye his hair and make it a bigger joke, to distract Alix from today. 

Oh well, they would just have to cross that bridge when they came to it.


	3. Pilots (Lukadrien)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pilot AU for a commission on Amino  
Written 11/07/19

“Ready?” Adrien held his envelope under his arm. He was nearly shaking with excitement. After nearly a month of waiting, all his friends had finally received their letters telling them whether they could sit their first pilot exams or not.

After a chorus of everyone saying no, Nino shouted, “Let’s get this over and done with!”

Around the room, paper was ripped, and letters were pulled out.

“I got in!” Alya threw her letter up into the air in excitement and started to leap around the room, cheering.

Alix leapt up off the chair she was sitting in, waving her letter in front of Kim. “I got in!”

Kim grabbed her and spun her around in the air. “So, did I!”

Everyone groaned. If both of them were in the same program, there would be no end to the bets they kept issuing to each other, and their entire friend group would be dragged into it to officiate. 

Adrien looked at the letter in front of him. He had gotten in. This was everything he had worked towards his entire life. When his father had relaxed the rules on what Adrien could and couldn’t do, Adrien started seeing his friends more and eventually they had all decided that they wanted to get pilot licences. Warmth was starting to bubble up inside him. Even though his father wanted him to do other things with his life, Adrien was starting to accomplish things. 

“Woo! I’m going to the air!” Nino hugged Alya as she leapt past him. 

“Not if you fail your exams, you aren’t.” Adrien reminded his friend, knowing Nino had a tendency to get too excited and jump headfirst into things before thinking them through.

“I’m not going to fail, it’s just a test or something.” Nino sat back down, dropping his letter onto the floor near his chair.

“What about you, Luka, and Adrien? Are you both coming with us?” Alya looked over to Luka, the only person in the room who wasn’t excited or celebrating madly, and Adrien, who was just sitting on the lounge chair without too much emotion on his face.

“I got in!” Adrien flipped his letter around to show them what was written on it. Alix and Kim cheered for him, while Nino gave his best friend a fist bump and Alya clapped. Luka smiled at him, still not revealing what was written on his letter.

“I did, too.” Luka let his letter drop onto the armrest of the lounge he was sitting on, trying to be excited. It was incredible to have been accepted, but at the same time, that was a fair amount of time to be around Adrien Agreste.

Luka had been fighting his feelings for Adrien since the day they met. Despite having feelings for Marinette at the time, Luka started to fall for Adrien, too. It was all confusing and Luka was torn. During the time he and his friends had been studying for pilot exams and writing applications, Luka had been torn with his own emotions.

“Aren’t you excited? We’re all going to be pilots!” 

‘I wish I could be excited as everyone else,’ Luka thought. He had only really signed up for the pilot program as a way to get away from his feelings for Marinette because it was obvious, she liked Adrien. He wasn’t going to interfere with that, and then he ends up trying to get into the same place as Adrien, someone else he had feelings for. It was a tricky situation that he had no way out of now.

“Luka?” Adrien was still sitting next to Luka, slightly closer than before. Luka gulped. He hadn’t noticed Adrien move closer to him, and now that he’d realised, he was starting to turn red. His face was heating up and his heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.

And it was mostly because of Adrien’s eyes. Those beautiful eyes. Glittering emeralds set into perfect skin and lighting up whenever he smiled or laughed. They dragged you deeper until you could barely remember who you were, and you couldn’t tear yourself away. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, don’t need to worry about me.” Luka stood up quickly and grabbed his letter. “I better be home. Mum and Juleka would want to know whether I got in or not.”

“Let me walk you to the door.” Adrien stood up with Luka. 

“It’s really okay. I know how to get to the door. Thank you for the great afternoon.” At this point, Luka REALLY wanted to leave. He started walking down the hallway, trying to lose Adrien, but he wasn’t giving up.

“Did I do something wrong?” Adrien grabbed Luka by the wrist and pulled him to a stop.

When Luka turned around, Adrien looked like someone had punched him. It was as if asking that one question had hurt him. “No, of course not, I just need to think about some things.”

Adrien beamed. “Great! And, that reminds me, do you want to grab coffee or ice cream sometime? To celebrate. As friends, of course.”

There was an awkward silence for a few moments. Luka was trying to figure out how to speak again, while Adrien was regretting ever asking. What on earth was he thinking? There was no way Luka would want to go out with him.

On the other hand, Luka felt like he was about to scream. His crush on Adrien wasn’t one-sided, but it would interfere with his pilot training so much. What if he got distracted in mid-air and fell out of the sky? 

“I would love to,” Luka started, watching as Adrien’s face lit up, “but I can’t. I’m so sorry, but I want to focus on becoming a pilot first. Please understand.”

Adrien was gutted. He was right, it was stupid to ask Luka out. He probably didn’t even like him like that and Adrien had completely misread everything. He had a tendency to do that, but it seemed much worse this time. Luka was probably just being polite, and the whole pilot thing was probably just an excuse, so he didn’t have to give Adrien a simple ‘no’.

“That’s fine. I understand, completely. I’ll see you some time.” Adrien walked the rest of the way to the door and held it open for Luka. “Have a nice afternoon.” He kept a smile on his face, even though it felt like his heart was splitting in two. Even though he just wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole, no matter how cliché that was.

“Adrien. That isn’t what I meant…” Luka stopped in the door, holding it open so Adrien couldn’t close him out.

“No, no, it’s fine. You don’t need to explain yourself to me. Say hello to Anarka and Juleka for me.” Giving Luka a sad smile, Adrien started to close the door.

“That isn’t what I meant, and you know it.” Luka paused for a moment before leaning down and kissing Adrien on the cheek quickly. “When we’re both pilots, we’re going on that date. I promise.”

Adrien’s jaw dropped open and a blush bloomed from where Luka had kissed him. He was in shock. He had jumped to conclusions too fast without even thinking that Luka’s words could have no extra meaning or have no other reason for being said than what they were at face value. “Yeah, when we’re both pilots.”

Luka smiled and walked out the door, leaving a shocked Adrien behind him, standing in some kind of crush induced daze, either from the kiss or the promise of a date Luka very much had the intention of keeping. There would be a date, whether Luka had to pick Adrien up in a plane or not.

[C]|||

Luka was waiting outside the office when Adrien walked out. The rest of their friends had already left after getting their license photos taken, but Luka had decided to stick around afterwards. After all, Luka still had to check if he and Adrien were going on a date later.

Adrien walked out of the room, still seeing black spots in his vision from the blinding flash of the camera. He nearly bumped into Luka, who was standing with his back turned to the door. “What are you doing here? I thought everyone was gone.”

“I realised I still had a question to ask you. I know I already said this was going to happen, and we’re both pilots now, so, I was wondering if you wanted to get coffee or ice cream or something. I won’t add the ‘as friends’ part because we both know that isn’t true.”

Adrien laughed, still not believing that he had actually asked his crush out, but only as friends. “Sure, I’d love to. Do you have a time in mind?”

“Does right now work for you?” 

“Right now sounds perfect. Lead the way.” Adrien grabbed Luka’s hand and left. 

Luka looked down at their joined hands and grinned. Adrien’s hands were warm and soft, and Luka didn’t ever want to let it go. After so much time, and all the stress of learning to fly a plane, Luka hadn’t spent too long relaxing. This was a nice change.

Adrien gazed up at Luka. He was ecstatic they were finally going on a date, and maybe if this went well they could end up “Where are we going?”

“Ice cream, if we can find Andre. Or is that too normal of a thing? Neither of us seem to have very normal lives.” He was right. Adrien had grown up as the son of one of the most famous fashioned signers in the world, and now they were both pilots because of a whim, something normal people usually couldn’t show off.

“That’s the exact amount of normal I need at the minute. It sounds perfect.” Adrien leaned his head against Luka’s shoulder as they walked. There was a chance they wouldn’t find Andre at all, but both had decided that spending time with each other would be good enough. The ice cream was just going to be an added bonus, more of a reason to wander.

Children ran past them, giggling, and teens strolled past them, talking amongst themselves. It was peaceful, and there was nothing to worry about in the world. The sun was shining overhead and warm light fell on their faces, making it seem like they were glowing. Sunshine was bouncing off Adrien’s hair, blinding Luka whenever he looked down onto his date.

“Is something wrong?” Adrien had noticed that Luka kept looking at him and was starting to think there was something on his face, or there was something stuck in his hair. Imagine if his first pilot’s license had a huge mark on his face in the picture!

“There’s nothing wrong, just admiring my date.” Luka smiled as Adrien’s ear started to turn red and he nearly tripped over his own feet, embarrassed.

Adrien stuttered for a moment, before finally managing to get his words out. “Stop that!”

“Stop what? Can’t I give you compliments?” Luka leaned down and kissed the top of Adrien’s head.

“You’re embarrassing me, though!” Adrien tried to stand up straighter and seem taller than he really was, but he still didn’t manage to get to the same eye level as Luka. He settled for glaring playfully.

“That’s terrible, you’ll have to end this date here.” Luka stopped walking and tried to let go of Adrien’s hand, only to have Adrien link his fingers through Luka’s to hold on.

“I didn’t say I was going to do that.” Adrien pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Anyway, we can’t end this date here, Andre is over behind the school!”

Luka got pulled behind Adrien as he ran towards their school, apparently in need of magic ice cream. “Hold up for a second! I don’t think we need to run!”

“Yeah we do, otherwise we’ll miss out!”

“No, we won’t!”

They reached the ice cream stand and found themselves at the end of the long line. Adrien turned to Luka. “While we’re here, should we schedule our next date?”

“When would that be?”

“I don’t know, when do you want to be my boyfriend?”

Luka smiled. “I could deal with being your boyfriend right now.”

“Then I guess our next date is whenever both of us are free.”

“Does tomorrow work?”

“Tomorrow works perfectly.” Andre called them forward and started placing different serves of ice cream into a cone.

“Green for his eyes, yellow for his hair.” He handed the cone to Luka. “Black and blue for his hair, turquoise for his eyes. Enjoy your ice cream.”

Luka and Adrien sat down on a nearby bench to enjoy their ice cream. Everything was working out perfectly. Luka was dating Adrien Agreste, who he had been hiding a crush on for years, and now they were scheduling regular dates. It was all a dream. “You’re perfect.” 

“You are, too.” Adrien smiled and Luka leaned down and kissed him gently. As they pulled apart, Adrien was staring at his ice cream in embarrassment and Luka was looking anywhere but Adrien. 

“Thank you, Adrien. For everything. I couldn’t think of a better day.”

“Thank you, Luka. I’m glad we’re both finally pilots.”


	4. Unexpected Friendship (Marigami/Kagaminette)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written 24/04/19

“I’m sorry, Marinette, but I’ve only ever considered you a friend. I like other people.” Adrien looked sad, but Kagami knew it was from hurting a friend. He thought he had no feelings for Marinette, but Kagami could see that they both liked each other and they were hurting themselves in the process.

Marinette shut her eyes for a few seconds before opening them and nodding rapidly. “I understand, we’re just friends, I should have known that.”

Even though she was a fair distance away from them, Kagami could see Marinette’s heart break in her eyes. She obviously had some strong feelings for Adrien, and Kagami even felt sorry for her. She had never been in Marinette’s shoes, of course, but she still felt bad.

“Marinette, wait…” Marinette turned and walked away, leaving Adrien confused. Kagami could see it on his face. He didn’t want to hurt any of his friends, but he didn’t want to lie to them, either.

Deciding that he needed some advice, or at least someone to talk to, Kagami walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“I don’t think I’m the one you should be asking that. Marinette wouldn’t want to talk to me, not after that. You should try talking to her.” Adrien knew that he couldn’t just transform and drop in for a quick chat, wherever Marinette was. He was a superhero and she was just a civilian, and that would start rumours that neither of them wanted.

Kagami knew that would be a bad idea. Marinette didn’t particularly like her, especially when they were both ‘fighting’ for Adrien’s affection.

“Okay.” Kagami walked after Marinette. She didn’t want to run, and walking might give Marinette a couple of minutes to cool down. Maybe she could cry for a little bit before taking it out on Kagami, either way, there was no point running after her.

“Why are you talking to me?” Marinette wasn’t happy. Kagami was the last person she wanted to talk to right now, especially after everything that had happened recently. She had definitely made it look like she hated Kagami, or to outsiders it would look like they were enemies. And they would be right.

They both liked the same guy that most teenaged girls in Paris liked, and Marinette had teamed up with Chloe to ruin Kagami’s entire day, even if she hadn’t noticed or knew who the saboteurs were.

“Adrien sent me to talk to you. He thinks you need a friend.”

“But why you? Why couldn’t he find Alya or something?” Alya probably would have been a better option, and even Kagami knew that. Anyone would have been a better option, but Kagami had been the only one around. There was really no other logic.

“I was the closest person to him.”

“I don’t want to talk to you.” Marinette sounded angry. More angry than she probably should be. Kagami was just trying to help out, after all.

“You don’t have to talk to me. Just talk and pretend I’m not here.” 

That wasn’t going to work. Kagami knew that wasn’t going to work. Marinette knew that it wasn’t going to work. There was no possible way they could ignore the anger radiating off Marinette, or the tension in the air between them.

“I shouldn’t have listened to you.”

Kagami was confused. Dud Marinette mean she shouldn’t have listened to Kagami when she suggested just ignoring her, or was there something else that Kagami had said. What else had she said to Marinette? “Pardon?”

“I listened to what you said when we were ice skating, about not hesitating, and this is where I end up.”

Oh. That was what Marinette meant. Kagami thought about what she had said. ‘The only reason you can’t stay on your feet is your hesitation’. To be honest, she had meant it about Marinette falling into a wall because she couldn’t think fast enough to grab onto the wall.

“Maybe you went about it the wrong way.” Why was Kagami still bothering? Marinette clearly blamed her for the failures of her love life. What was the point of trying to make her consider otherwise?

“How many ways could I go about it? Write him a letter and spend days wondering if Adrien even read it, or what he thought? Should I use a carrier pigeon?” Marinette crossed her arms. How dare Kagami suggest she was doing something wrong after she followed the instructions given to her?

Kagami rolled her eyes. Marinette was being an absolute child. “You are being unreasonable.”

“This is why I don’t want to talk to you!” Marinette pointed an accusing finger at Kagami. She felt patronised, like she was being treated like a child, and there was nothing she could do about it. It was an awful feeling, and Marinette hated it with every inch of her being.

Kagami huffed. She shouldn’t have listened to Adrien. This HAD been a terrible idea. But if Marinette didn’t want her help, she would just leave. “I’ll just go back to Adrien, then.”

Marinette realised what would happen if Kagami went back to Adrien. They would talk, probably have some kind of heart to heart, and they would fall even more in love, get married, have three kids and adopt a hamster together. “Fine! Stay! I’ll talk to you!”

“Then don’t hesitate.” Kagami couldn’t help the snide grin on her face.

“I’ve liked Adrien longer than you’ve been in Paris. Longer than Adrien has known you.” Marinette started to explain, trying to make it seem like she had known Adrien longer than people had known about the sun setting every night. Maybe if she exaggerated a little Kagami would back off and she could convince Adrien to love her, somehow.

“Okay.”

“I thought you weren’t going to talk,” Marinette snapped. Even though Kagami was sitting in front of her, Marinette was acting like a complete Chloe, being a diva and just generally being rude.

“So you don’t want any advice?”

“Do I LOOK like I want your advice?”

“That’s fine.”

“Be quiet.”

“Keep talking, then.”

“Well, I’ve had a crush on Adrien nearly the entire time that I’ve known him, and then you arrive and sweep in and take him away! I couldn’t even do anything!” Marinette stood up, only to take a couple of steps in a tight circle and sit back on the bench, waving her hands around emphatically.

“Don’t you have other options? Like the other person at the ice skating rink with us?”

“I don’t know! They don’t deserve to get hurt! Luka and Adrien are both amazing people!”

“Then you need to think about it. Why hurt yourself more by letting Adrien keep rejecting you when Luka is waiting right there?” Kagami pointed to Marinette, getting closer to her face with every word.

“I refuse to let you win.”

Kagami threw herself into the seat next to Marinette. “That’s petty.”

“I don’t think you can talk about being petty.”

“What about other options?” Other options? What other options did she have? Kagami cursed at herself. Where had that suggestion even come from?

“How many other options do I have, Kagami? Who would you suggest?”

“Chloe.”

“What?!”

“You seemed to be pretty close at the movie premiere when you were trying to remove me from the situation.”

“I-I-I… that isn’t fair!”

“What do you mean, that isn’t ‘fair’? You tried to put gum on my chair and ruin my entire day.”

“I shouldn’t have done that, sure, but if it offended you so much why are you talking to me?” Marinette turned on the bench so she was facing away from Kagami and her legs were over the edge, her knees nearly touching the trash can at the end.

“Because Adrien asked me to, and you already know that.”

“Of course.” Marinette rolled her eyes. She had thought Kagami might have had a shred of human decency in her, but being nice to her was just another ploy to get closer to Adrien. She should have seen that coming…

“No need to be so negative.”

“I just got rejected by my long time crush, and the girl he likes instead of me is sitting in front of me asking if I’m okay.”

Kagami stayed silent.

“I’ve been trying so hard to get him to realise I had feelings for him, but nothing! Then I tell him that I like him and he doesn’t like me back, but tries to be POLITE about it! I don’t even have anyone else to talk to! I’m sitting here, heartbroken in a park, when I could be doing nearly anything else!”

“I don’t know why you took my advice though! If I was such a threat, you would just ignore anything I said! Like in fencing, the enemy only says things to be ignored, not heeded! The only person you can blame for you getting into this situation is yourself! TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY,” Kagami shouted at Marinette, the anger that had been building up since Marinette had started blaming her finally boiling over. She was sick of Marinette, sick of getting blamed for not being perfect, sick of the image she had been stuck with because she liked Adrien!

“Just shut up! Shut up, alright! I don’t care about what you have to say, you just need to back off on Adrien. He likes someone that isn’t EITHER of us, and you’re just a second choice. Get. That. Through. Your. Head.” Marinette leapt to her feet, trying to intimidate Kagami. It didn’t work. Kagami just stood up in front of her and returned Marinette’s fierce glare.

Taking a step closer to Marinette and forcing her to move back, Kagami hissed, “I don’t think you understand. No one orders me around. I am Kagami Tsurugi, and I never hesitate.”

“And I am Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and Adrien is MINE.”

“Not if I get to him first. You don’t deserve him. Even he agrees, ‘friend’.”

“HOW DARE YOU?!” Marinette turned red in the face and tried to shove Kagami away from her, only for Kagami to catch her hands and lean closer to her.

“I dare because I know I’ll be the one he chooses. Not you, not Chloe, not anyone else.”

Marinette seethed. “I’ll be six feet under before I let that happen, Ice Queen.”

“But I know one thing.”

“What would that be?”

“I’ll get to him first. You don’t stand a chance, Marinette. Give up.” Kagami turned and sprinted out of the park.

It took a few seconds before Marinette realised what had happened. She let out a screech and took off after Kagami. There wasn’t a chance in hell that she was going to get there second. Kagami was the worst person Adrien could ever date. Even Chloe would be a better option.

As she crossed the road, one thing was going through Marinette’s head. ‘I can stop Kagami if I can get to Adrien before she does.’ She pushed on.

Less than a hundred metres in front of her, Marinette could see Kagami. She was standing stock still on the sidewalk, forcing everyone to walk around her. Why had she stopped so suddenly? Where was Adrien? He couldn’t have left that quickly, surely, though a quick glance at her phone told Marinette that she had been arguing for Kagami for nearly twenty-five minutes. Adrien would have been picked up in that time, maybe for a photoshoot or to go to fencing.

Kagami had realised something. Adrien wasn’t the only reason she had talked to Marinette. There was something else. Something smaller, a tiny feeling that was barely there, but it was definitely there. It had stopped her in her tracks, like she had run into a brick wall. She might actually LIKE Marinette, and not even in the ‘you can bake my wedding cake’ way. In the romantic way.

“No. There is no way that I like her!” Kagami threw her hands into the sky. She had to be going crazy, insane, completely off the rails. How did she go from wanting to throw Marinette across Paris by her pigtails to possibly liking her so quickly?

Marinette caught up to Kagami and put her hand on her hip. “Didn’t get to Adrien at all, huh?”

“Nothing that you need to know.”

When they locked eyes, Marinette felt her heart flutter in the same way it did whenever she talked to Adrien. What on earth was happening? She didn’t have a crush on Kagami, did she? They had been fighting less than five minutes ago, and over a GUY, no less.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I think I might be having a heart attack.” Marinette put her hand on her chest. There was NO way she had a crush on Kagami. There had to be something else happening, like impending death.

“You’re fourteen.”

“Then why is my heart beating so weirdly?”

Kagami leaned closer to Marinette, almost until their noses touched. “Maybe you have a crush on me.”

“Never.”

“Are you sure? Because I might have been feeling the same way, but if its not mutual I might just ignore it.” Kagami smirked at Marinette, knowing the exact meaning of her words.

“I would never like you, and I know you’re just trying to make me into some kind of joke so Adrien never likes me.” Marinette was turning redder and redder with every word. This was one of the worst situations she had ever been in, but she couldn’t drag herself away. It was like watching a train-wreck.

“Are you certain?”

“Yes.”

“Are you in denial?”

‘Yes,’ Marinette thought, ‘because this isn’t happening. I have no feelings for Kagami other than hatred.’

“No. Not in any kind of denial.”

“Hmm. I don’t know whether I believe you.”

“You should.”

“If you change your mind, call me. I’m sure you can get my number from somewhere.”

“I won’t call you.” Marinette turned and started walking home. “Because I’ll never change my mind.”

As she was getting further away, Marinette whispered, “My mind was already changed.”

Kagami’s limo pulled up in front of her and she climbed inside. “Looks like I’ll be waiting on a call after all. I can’t wait.”


	5. Love and Lukanette (Lukanette)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written 03/03/19  
This has some art to go with it, which you can find on my Instagram @Iamcatchild

Luka placed his hand on Marinette’s shoulder, drawing her attention away from Adrien and Kagami spinning around gracefully on the dance floor. Marinette looked up at him, trying to seem cheery and relaxed, even though Luka could see in her eyes that she was hurting.

“Hi, Luka, what brings you here? I didn’t think things like this really suited you.” Marinette glanced over the outfit Luka was wearing. Instead of his usual hoodie and jeans, he was wearing a black suit, white dress shirt and a blue tie that nearly matched his hair. It was a welcome change.

“Juleka wanted to come but didn’t want to walk in alone. She’s with Rose.” Luka pointed over his shoulder to where the two girls were dancing together, Rose giggling as she guided Juleka through the steps. “How about you?”

“Alya was supposed to be here, but she ditched me for Nino. I don’t even know where they are anymore. Other than that, everyone is dancing and I’m all alone.” Marinette played with the skirt of her dress, running the smooth pink material through her fingers.

She had spent a couple of days working on the dress, from designing the dress to sewing it all together. The fabric hadn’t been the easiest to work with, but the result was perfect for the night. It was simple and pink, with thin straps. There was nothing to gaudy or glitzy to make the dress look trashy or cheap, just what Marinette had wanted.

Marinette had chosen to leave her earrings in, just in case there was an akuma. She also didn’t wear any other jewellery, even though there were a few things she could have picked from.

“I guess you’re stuck with me, then.” Luka offered Marinette his hand, ready to pull her from the chair. If he managed to make her smile, Luka would be happy with the night’s outcome.

“How terrible.” Marinette placed her hand in Luka’s noticing how warm he was. They walked together, away from the dance floor. “Where are we going?”

Luka looped his arm through Marinette’s, continuing to walk. “When I was looking around earlier, I saw a little balcony that overlooks the garden, and over some of Paris. It made me think of you.”

“Why would a garden remind me of you? I’m not made of flowers.” Marinette giggled at her own joke. Luka smiled at her, trying to think of something smooth to say.

“It reminded me of you because it’s beautiful, just like you.”

Marinette jolted to a stop, shocked. After becoming used to being ‘just a friend’ for so long, hearing someone compliment her so outright was a bit of a shock. “Uh… I don’t think that’s right…”

Luka held both of Marinette’s hands and turned her so she was facing him. “Marinette, you’re beautiful, both inside and out. You listen to your heart and help the people around you. You deserve the world and more, and I would be honoured to give it you.”

They stared into each other’s eyes for a few moments before Marinette looked away. “Stop it, Luka.”

“Would you like to dance with me? There’s a place where you can still hear the music but can’t be seen from the dance floor.”

“I can’t dance, but I would love to.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you.” Luka lead Marinette around a corner. They were standing on an indoor balcony, overlooking the dance floor. The soft music was still clear to them, so they took a few steps away from the edge, being hidden in the soft light.

Luka placed his hands on Marinette’s waist, holding her close. “You just take a step this way, then turn a little. Just follow me.”

Marinette was so focused on where her feet were and not stepping on Luka’s toes that she didn’t notice when Luka stopped. She fell into him, moving her arms from where they were sitting on his shoulders to his chest to stop the, crashing into each other. “I’m sorry!”

“Don’t worry about it, just keep dancing.” Luka continued moving to the music, holding Marinette close to him.

After a few seconds, Marinette relaxed. She moved her hands again so they were wrapped around Luka’s neck, similar to when she had danced with Adrien at Chloe’s party. Even that day felt like so long ago, and Luka was nothing like Adrien. And Luka had feelings for her…

They continued to dance in their own little bubble. Marinette was having an amazing time and never wanted to leave. She could stay here forever, dancing with Luka. The noise downstairs had started to quieten down, and even the music was slower.

“I think everything is coming to an end. The music is stopping.”

Marinette listened. The music still sounded like it was in the middle of a song, but she trusted Luka. After all, he was the musician.

Only a few seconds after Luka spoke, the music stopped. A microphone crackled and Mayor Bourgeois’ voice echoed through the hall. “Thank you for attending the annual ball, if all attendees could start filing out of the hall in an orderly manner.”

The couple stepped away from each other, not ready to leave each other’s company just yet. Luka offered his arm to Marinette and they walked back down the stairs and out into the cool night air. “Would you like me to walk you home?”

Marinette rested her head against Luka’s shoulder. “I would love that, thank you. I don’t have to be home for nearly an hour, so we can go for a detour, if you have nowhere ese to be.”

“I have nothing to do tonight, a detour sounds lovely.” Everyone else at the ball was heading in a different direction, so Luka and Marinette were alone pretty quickly. “Where should we go?”

“I don’t have anywhere in mind, we should just wander for a while.” Marinette wasn’t thinking too much about their destination, focusing only on Luka.

Even though they had been dancing for what felt like minutes, it must have been hours, so the streets were mostly empty. Without having to worry about running into anyone, Marinette could stare into the sky and admire the stars.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Luka watched as Marinette stared at the stars, not watching anything happening around her. He was enamoured with her, and the dancing tonight had only made his feelings stronger.

“Sometimes I stare into the sky to get inspiration for my designs. There’s just something about the sky, especially on such a clear night.”

Luka continued to let Marinette speak, waiting for the perfect moment to give Marinette another compliment. “Is there are a particular reason stars inspire you so much?”

“It’s stunning.”

“Just like you.”

Marinette shook her head. “That’s so cheesy.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does.”

“What were you saying about the sky, again?”

Despite knowing that Luka was trying to get her to move on from the compliments, she took the bait and kept talking. “The universe just stretches forever, and it’s still moving outwards. It’s mind-boggling, just to think about the scale of everything, and how small our world is compared to it.”

“That’s a very deep thought to have, especially so late at night. Have you been thinking about it for a while?”

“Every time I look at the sky.”

Luka realised he didn’t know much about Marinette, especially after this conversation. They had been so caught up in each other that they hadn’t taken the time to learn about the other person. It was like they had skipped the first few steps of their relationship altogether; almost like a real-life love at first sight fairy tale.

“We should do this again sometime. I realised I don’t know anything about you, but we act like we’re almost dating.” Hoping Marinette wouldn’t be shocked at the forwardness of his statement, Luka continued speaking. “We haven’t spent heaps of time around each other, yet we’re already so comfortable together.”

“I’m sure we know some things about each other, we can start from there.”

“What’s my favourite colour?”

“Blue, like your hair and your hoodie. You like Jagged Stone and have a whole display of picks for your guitar that I’m sure you never use. You have a Scottish flag on the wall in your house and there’s a drawer under your bed that’s big enough to fit a person in, yet it’s empty.”

Luka laughed. She was right about everything, though most of it was from when she was visiting Juleka. “If you must know, that drawer has been filled now.”

“With what? There was barely anything in your room to begin with.”

“I purchased a new guitar recently, so when one guitar isn’t in use it goes into its case and under the bed. I wouldn’t want anything to happen if the house started rocking.”

“What about me?”

“Your favourite colour is pink, you have it on everything you wear, except your earrings, and you design and make everything you wear, even your bags. You have a crush on Adrien Agreste, even if you’re too shy to tell him that, and you’re confident and willing to help anyone, even Chloe Bourgeois.”

“I don’t help Chloe, she’s mean to everyone!”

“Maybe you don’t help her as Marinette, but I have a feeling you help her with a little bit of magic.”

Marinette stopped in her tracks. Luka had figured out her secret identity so easily, and was so sure of it, too. If he had worked it out, what was to stop everyone else? “How did you work that out? Have you told anyone?”

“I promise you, Marinette, your secret is safe with me. I only found out recently, when I was akumatised. I had suspicions before that, but being Silencer made me sure. You and Ladybug have the same melody in your hearts, one of kindness and compassion for everyone. It tells a story, and that story is an amazing one. Am I correct?”

“Yes, you are, but one thing is not quite right. I don’t have a crush on Adrien Agreste, not anymore. I have a crush on another boy. Can you guess who he is?”

“Can I at least have a hint?”

“Well,” Marinette grabbed one of Luka’s hand and they started to dance again, “he is an amazing dancer. He plays music better than anyone I’ve ever heard and will probably make music with Jagged Stone one day.”

“Any other clues?”

“His name is Luka Couffaine.” By the time Marinette had finished with her clues, her face was close enough to Luka’s that she could feel his breath on her cheek.

He spoke in a whisper, like he didn’t want anyone else to hear what they were saying. “I don’t think I’ve heard of him.”

“You should have, he’s amazing.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it.” Luka stared into Marinette’s eyes. “Can I kiss you?”

“Yes.”

Both of them stopped dancing at the same time, in sync. Luka pressed his lips against Marinette’s, igniting sparks behind their closed eyelids, as cliché as that sounded. It was the sparks you only heard of in stories, when you found your soulmate.

What felt like hours later, Marinette and Luka pulled apart, resting their foreheads against each other and keeping their eyes closed. They were both breathing heavily.

“We should get you home.”

“I’m sure my parents won’t mind if I’m a little bit late.”

“I don’t want your parents to have a bad impression of me, especially if we do go on another date in the near future.”

“I’m sure they’ll love you, don’t worry.”

“I hope so.”

“I promise.”


	6. Diving Game (Kim x Ondine)

Kim looked between Ondine and the ring box sitting in his hand. He had wanted to propose to her for nearly a month, but there never seemed to be a good time. Between all their training, as well as the swimming classes Ondine had been teaching, it seemed like they were never in the same place.

“Are you okay, Kim? You seem a little bit spacey recently, like there’s something on your mind.” Swimming up to Kim, Ondine pulled herself onto the edge of the pool. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“Just wishing we had more time together. It seems like we’ve been apart more since we started dating than ever.” Shoving the ring box behind him, Kim smiled.

“I’m going to swim another few laps. Talk to me if you need to.” Ondine slipped back into the water and kicked away, leaving Kim to his thoughts.

Kim watched as she swam. She had always been at home in the water, ever since they first met. It was like she was more fish than human. No wonder she was always so good at their diving game from high school. A thought flashed through Kim’s mind at the memory. What better way to propose than in their game?

As soon as Ondine surfaced for a breath, put his plan into action. “Ondine, want to play our diving game?”

Taken by surprise, Ondine started to tread water while giving Kim a confused look. “We haven’t played that game since high school. Since you asked me on a date.”

“I forgot about that.” In truth, he had. After years of constantly trying to get Chloe to fall in love with him, Kim had realised that she would never like him back. It had been a hard thing to come to terms with, but once the sadness had cleared, Kim had realised Ondine had been with him the entire time.

The longer he spent with her, the more he realised that she was an amazing person. She was nicer than Chloe would ever be, and she liked him back. Even though asking her to the movies with their group was a risk, it payed off. Kim and Ondine had been together for nearly eight years.

“I’ll start.” Ondine pulled herself onto the edge of the pool, swinging her legs around to stand up. She walked to her bag, pulling out a notebook and pen. When she caught Kim trying to look at the paper, she pulled it closer to her chest. “No, this has to be a secret!”

Kim laughed, grabbing the ring box from the floor and shoving it back into his bag, grabbing a pen and paper out, too. He was trying to decide between writing an actual message and proposing when Ondine had retrieved it, or just to put the ring into the watch.

“Are you ready?” Ondine clicked her watch shut and looked over at Kim. He was folding his piece of paper shut and clicking it into his watch.

“Whenever you’re ready. You can throw first.” Putting his watch back on his wrist, Kim pulled his swimming goggles over his eyes and readied himself to dive into the pool.

Ondine tossed the watch into the deep end of the pool, watching as it sunk. Kim dove in, heading straight for the watch.

The watch didn’t have time to hit the bottom of the pool before Kim wrapped his hand around the strap and swum back to the surface. Ondine was waiting for him, ready to see his reaction to her note.

As soon as Kim was standing in the shallow end of the pool in front of Ondine, he opened the watch capsule and took out the note. He unfolded it gently, making sure he didn’t get water all over the ink, hoping it wouldn’t run before he could read what she had written.

“Date night?” Ondine’s handwriting was rounded and graceful, like Kim imagined a mermaid’s to be. He looked up at Ondine, swinging her legs through the water.

Smiling, Ondine dropped into the water and walked through the shallows to stand in front of Kim. “Tonight, maybe? Since we’re not spending much time together at the minute.”

“I might have something better, if you want to read my note.” Kim handed Ondine back her watch and slipped his off his wrist.

“We’ll see.” Ondine dropped her goggles back into place and stretched her arms above her head. “Throw the watch.”

Turning away from Ondine, Kim tossed the watch out across the water. It skimmed for a few seconds, before sinking below the surface. “Are you going to get it?”

“Better give it a few seconds, just to make sure one of us has a challenge.” Ondine put one hand on her hip and pulled a face at Kim, teasing him.

“You want a challenge, then? Here’s one.” Before she could even react, Kim wrapped his arms around Ondine’s waist and picked her up, throwing them both sideways into the water.

As she hit the water, Ondine swallowed a mouthful of water and floated back to the surface, coughing. Kim surfaced next to her, laughing. Between coughs, Ondine managed to choke out a couple of words. “Not… funny.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m sure the watch will have hit the bottom by now.”

Ondine’s coughing fit ended and she sent a small wave of water towards Kim. “Fine.”

Kim watched as Ondine skimmed across the water for a few seconds before diving straight to the bottom of the pool, retrieving the watch effortlessly. In the few seconds he had spare, Kim pulled himself out of the pool and grabbed the ring from his bag.

“You aren’t even going to stick around to see me read your note?”

“Well, I already know what’s written on it, and I had to grab something.”

The watch clicked open and Ondine grabbed the tiny square of paper. She unfolded it in seconds, looking at the note. Confusion passed across her face for a few seconds and Kim’s stomach dropped, thinking he had made a terrible mistake.

It was almost like he was asking Chloe out again, except Ondine was different. And there were no cyclists around this time to splash him with a puddle of water as they rode past, but still.

“Kim? Is this serious?” Ondine was still holding the piece of paper, hoping that Kim was playing a stupid prank on her.

Splashing into the water, Kim showed Ondine the ring box he had been carrying around for nearly a month. “I’ve never been more serious about something. Ever.”

Happy tears started to fill Ondine’s eyes, making everything blurry. She started laughing, tears slipping down her cheeks. “Of course I will, oh my god, this is crazy! Yes!”

“Wait! I have to give my speech first! I’ve been working it out for ages.” Kim took a deep breath, trying to stop himself shaking. Ondine had said yes! “Okay. Ondine, I love you, and I have for a long time. We’ve known each other for years and I should have realised my feelings for you sooner.

“I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life without anyone else, or even without you. The years we’ve been dating have been the brightest of my life, and I want every year until the end of time to be like that. Will you marry me?”

Ondine launched herself at Kim, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling them close together. “Of course I will. There’s no way I would ever say no.”

Kim slipped the ring on Ondine’s finger, still holding onto the box in one hand. “When should we start planning the wedding?”

Gazing up into her fiancé’s eyes, watching as emotions mixed together. Love swirled in his irises, and Ondine was sure her eyes were the same. It was perfect, just the two of them alone with each other, the sun setting outside, and a wedding to plan.

“What if we just elope?” Kim spun them around the water and started to walk back to the edge, Ondine still hanging off his shoulders.

Ondine giggled, still elated. “When, though?”

“Tomorrow. As soon as we can. We don’t even have to tell anyone.”

“We can’t just not tell anyone. You need people to witness the legal stuff!” Ondine tried to protest, but found herself sitting on the tiles along the edge of the pool.

“I have an idea.”

“Why do I feel like this is going to be a bad idea?”

“It’s a great idea, I promise. We get two people to be witnesses, then we swear them to secrecy and keep everything a secret from everyone.”

“People will find out eventually.”

“Maybe we should have a bet to see who can keep the secret the longest?” Kim grinned at Ondine, reminding her of high school when he used to force people into bets all the time. Thank goodness Alix had won that race and made him stop.

“I don’t know, are we back in high school or something?” Ondine laughed, knowing there was no way she was going to let Kim beat her in another bet.

“Scared of losing or something?”

“Never. The bet is on. Loser has to…”

“Loser doesn’t get to swim for a week.”

“That’s harsh!”

“I guess you’d better win, then.”

Leaning down, Ondine kissed Kim on the cheek. “I suppose I will.”


	7. Keeping Secrets (Sabrina x Chloe)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be aware that there are themes such as anxiety and mental health issues in this chapter. If you are sensitive to these topics, please skip this chapter.

Her chest felt tight, so tight it was like she couldn't breathe. Air wheezed in and out of her mouth, getting caught in her throat. Someone was squeezing their invisible hands around her neck, and she was choking. Everything in the world was replaced with ringing, pounding into her head. Why did this have to happen now?

Vaguely, Sabrina felt herself lean into a wall, trying to keep another anxiety attack quiet. They were happening more and more often, and were getting harder to hide from Chloe, especially now that they were dating.

So far, Sabrina had managed to hide her anxiety through high school and into college, but as time went by it got harder and harder. One day, the secret would be out, but in the meantime, she would just have to manage.

Sabrina didn't want Chloe to worry about her.

"Sabrina, where are you?" Sabrina's entire body seized up further as she heard Chloe calling out for her. Even though it wasn't the strict, demanding tone Chloe had used in high school, the risk of being caught only made everything worse.

Her chest tightened further, like someone was standing on her lungs. She couldn't breathe. There was nothing coming into her lungs. Her own body was choking her.

Arms wrapped around Sabrina’s shoulders, pulling her away from the wall and into a tight hug. Even though some small part of her knew it was Chloe, Sabrina fought against the arms caging her in, pushing against them weakly. “Let me go…”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have helped you, Sabrina.”

Those words were the key to opening the floodgates. Sabrina collapsed into Chloe, starting to sob, her emotions spiralling into chaos. Words were getting caught in her throat, and the world was closing in on her. Everything was going dark, but Sabrina managed to choke out a few words. “I… can’t…”

Chloe pulled her girlfriend closer to her, not knowing what to do. Sure, she had suspected that Sabrina wasn’t doing great, but this is so much worse than she thought. There had been times when Chloe had seen Sabrina rush off, looking panicked, but she came back as if nothing had happened, brushing off any questions. Maybe Chloe should have asked sooner.

With uncharacteristic strength, Chloe lifted Sabrina into her arms, walking towards the elevator at the end of the hallway. With a little bit of manoeuvring, Chloe managed to push the call button and the elevator doors slid open.

Once they were inside, Chloe let Sabrina rest against the wall while she pressed the penthouse floor. The doors hissed shut and they were off, rising through the floors. After only a few seconds, the doors opened again, revealing Chloe’s personal floor.

Shaking Sabrina gently, Chloe kept an eye on the doors. “Sabrina, are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Sabrina couldn’t meet Chloe’s eyes. The anxiety attack was fading away, but there were still some lingering symptoms. It was still hard to breathe, and the world seemed a little bit too loud, but the worst part was that she couldn’t look Chloe in the eye.

“You should lie down for a while.”

“I’ve ruined our day off.”

“Sabrina, there are going to be other days. I promise. And we’re not going to be in college forever, so we have plenty of time to spend together after that.” Chloe put her hand under Sabrina’s chin and pushed her face up so they were looking into each other’s eyes. “I’ll spend every day with you, if it makes you feel better.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

“But I will. I promise.” Chloe supported Sabrina as they started to walk towards Chloe’s door. Taking the key card out of her pocket, Chloe tapped it against the lock and the door swung open for them. For once, she was grateful that her father insisted that everything in the hotel was as modern as it could be.

“I’m fine, I swear.”

Even though Sabrina was trying to protest, Chloe ignored her and led them over to her bed. “You should lie down.”

“I should go home.”

“Nope, you’re staying here until I know you’re better.”

“I’m better, Chloe, let me go.”

“You need to talk to someone about this.” Gently, Chloe pushed Sabrina onto her bed and sat next to her. “I don’t want you to keep going through this.”

“I’m managing, and I don’t want to be another problem for someone else.” Sabrina closed her eyes, trying to imagine she was just talking to herself, instead of bothering Chloe with her issues.

“Do it for me.”

“What?”

Chloe sighed. “This might be selfish, but I want you to get better. For me. Please.”

After a few moments of silence, Sabrina sat up and looked at Chloe. “Only for you. I’m fine, but I will talk to someone. And I won’t always be this much of a pushover.”

“You aren’t a pushover. I promise. And thank you, Sabrina.” Chloe leaned in and kissed Sabrina on her cheek. “I’m always going to be here for you, and there is nothing in the world that could ever change that.”

Sabrina leaned forwards and hugged Chloe, not expecting her to get so emotional. Everything had gone much better than she thought it would have, considering Sabrina had been expecting Chloe to flip out completely. “Thank you for not overreacting.”

“I didn’t know either of us could be this emotional.” Chloe laughed, trying to lighten the situation.

“It’s fun, though. I don’t think I could put up with high school Chloe again. That was bad enough once around.” Sabrina grinned, her smile lighting up the room.

Chloe faked shock. “You’re so mean to me! I wasn’t THAT bad in high school, everyone adored me!”

Sabrina raised her eyebrows, before both women fell towards each other and bursting into peals of laughter. They both knew that Chloe wasn’t the best person in high school, but they had both grown together, and grown stronger, leaning on each other when times were hard.

And that friendship had brought them here.


	8. Giving Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabenath Angst  
Written before Love Eater and Miracle Queen so no spoilers!

“I told you I would help you get the miraculous, Gabriel. I promised, and I’m not going to break that promise.” Nathalie watched as Gabriel paced around the room, running his hand through his hair.

“I don’t want the miraculous at the cost of your life! I don’t want to lose you like I lost…” He couldn’t say her name. And he couldn’t lose another person he loved to a broken miraculous. He wouldn’t lose another peacock hero in his lifetime. 

Nathalie smiled, trying to sit up. Gabriel was by her side in an instant, pushing her back into the mountain of pillows on her bed. “Gabriel, I can’t let you do this on your own.”

Gabriel sighed, sitting on the bed next to Nathalie, pushing away the memories of Emilie shattering apart because of the miraculous. “I can’t let you become any more ill because of my quest to obtain the miraculous.”

“I would do anything for you, Gabriel. I want to help you.” Nathalie shot upright, only to have the world shudder and spin around her. She crashed back against the bed, feeling weak. Her dizzy spells had been getting worse and worse the more she used the broken miraculous, but she would never tell Gabriel that. He would only worry about her more. 

“I’m not going to let you use the peacock miraculous again. I’ve already lost Emilie, I can’t lose you, too. You’re too important to me.” Gabriel took Nathalie’s hands in his and held them tightly, trying to calm down.

Everything he had done so far had been to bring Emilie back, and yet he was putting Nathalie on the line to accomplish his ultimate goal. How could he be expected to choose between the two women he loved?

That was what it would come down to. New love or old promises to himself. If he bought Emilie back, it would cost him Nathalie. 

“I’m fine, I promise. It's just a few dizzy spells, but they haven’t been getting worse. I can keep using the miraculous.”

“I refuse to let you put yourself in danger any longer. Give me the miraculous.” Gabriel held out his hand, waiting for Nathalie to surrender the brooch. He knew that he would have to hide it, or lock it away forever, but having the brooch eased his mind.

Nathalie placed her hand over the brooch protectively, not letting Gabriel near it. “I’m not going to let you do this alone, Gabriel.”

“I don’t want another person to get hurt because of that stupid brooch!” Gabriel shot up from the bed in anger. Not anger at Nathalie, but anger at himself that he had been sitting by as Nathalie slowly died in front of his eyes. Soon, it would be irreversible and there would be another woman he loved dead. 

He would never forgive himself. 

No. He would stop this. He would stop Nathalie from using the miraculous again, and he would find a way to get the ladybug and black cat miraculouses on his own. Then, he could use the ultimate power to heal Nathalie. 

But then he would have to find someone else to push the effects of the broken miraculous on. 

If he chose Adrien, then he would lose the last blood related family he had. If he pushed the rest of the effect on Emilie, she would be gone forever. If he let Nathalie die, he would lose her, and Mayura would be gone with her. 

Maybe if he wished that the miraculous was never broken? Maybe if he wished that the event that broke the miraculous never happened. That would bring Emilie back, as she would have never been affected by the peacock miraculous, but it would also mean that there would be no Hawk Moth or Mayura, and he would lose Nathalie. 

This was an impossible choice, but Gabriel knew it had to be made. There was no other way forward. 

Memories from Emilie’s death floated to the surface of his mind, swirling and forming into a vicious whirlpool of regret and guilt. Emilie transforming into Le Paon for the first time, before explored the city, leaping across the rooftops. They were younger then, and stupid.

If they had known what would happen from the use of the miraculous, Emilie would still be alive. She wouldn’t be lying in a glass coffin below their house, with empty halls with lost memories above her.

The happy memories of heroes and bravery morphed into something darker, sinister. Emilie choking up and collapsing, the dizzy spells setting in and become more and more frequent. She was like Nathalie, too stubborn to give up the miraculous, determined to stand by his side.

Even at the cost of their lives.

“I don’t need your permission to do anything!” Nathalie forced herself to leap off the bed, ignoring the world starting to spin.

“I won’t let you die!”

“You just don’t want me to end up like Emilie!” As soon as the words were out of Nathalie’s mouth, she regretted them. Usually, she would never use such a low blow against anyone, but emotions were high and neither of them were considering the forces behind their words.

Gabriel stepped backwards, shocked. Even though it was partially true, the words were a knife to his heart. Was he really trying to save Nathalie to save her, or to save himself from the guilt of letting history repeat?

He was selfish. Attacking the city he lived in so he could bring his wife back, putting Nathalie’s life in danger so he could get the miraculous. He had even put Adrien in danger to get Emilie back. And for what? None of the akumas had worked, only a couple had even come close to taking Ladybug or Chat Noir’s miraculous.

It was a useless task, a waste of time. He was putting everyone in danger

“Don’t ever compare yourself to her again. You are nothing like her.” A lie. Nathalie and Emilie were more similar than anyone could realise, and they were both following the same path. The path that only lead them into a glass coffin, leaving everyone behind with storms of tears.

“You don’t get to say that! You don’t know anything outside your own little bubble!”

“Give me your miraculous or I’m going to take it myself!”

“I just want to help you!”

“There isn’t going to be a Hawk Moth to help anymore!” Gabriel had decided, finally concluded that continuing to masquerade as a villain wasn’t going to achieve his goals. He just had to accept that Emilie was never coming back.

He had failed. The promise he had made to Emilie was going to be broken, and there was nothing he could do about it. He had nothing else to risk. At least Nathalie was going to be safe now. 

“What do you mean there isn’t going to be a Hawk Moth to help anymore? We were getting so close to the miraculous, you can’t just give up now.”

“It’s better this way, Nathalie.” Gabriel pulled his ascot off, revealing the brooch underneath it. With unnecessary force, he pulled the brooch off and cast it aside. The brooch transformed back into its hidden form mid air, before bouncing against the wall and falling to the ground. 

Nathalie watched as it settled on the ground, closing her hand around her brooch, pressing it closer to her chest. “One more chance, Gabriel. We will succeed this time.”

“I refuse to take the risk.” Without drawing too much attention to what he was doing, Gabriel moved Nathalie’s hand from her miraculous and wrapped his fingers around it.

Nathalie realised what he was doing seconds too late. “No!”

The clasp of the brooch clicked out of place and Gabriel pulled it away. Ignoring the small prick when the palm stabbed into his palm, Gabriel took a few steps back. “I’m sorry.”

Lying silently, Nathalie threw an arm over her face. Bones aching, Nathalie thought about everything happening between Gabriel and herself. 

She was in love with her boss, which was wrong, but he seemed to return her feelings. Gabriel was married, and his wife was under the house in a coma, which was even worse, but Gabriel had given up trying to bring her back. It was all confusing, and her relationship changing with Gabriel so much was throwing her even more.

It didn’t help that the broken miraculous was making her feel weak and useless all the time. Gabriel had been getting more and more insistent that Mayura didn’t need to keep creating sentimonsters, but Nathalie wasn’t backing down.

She was going to help him get the miraculous, even if he would bring Emilie back with them, even if she died in the process. She was going to get her miraculous back and she was going to show Gabriel that she was deserved to stand by his side as Mayura, even if he still loved Emilie. 

A plan started to form in her head. Gabriel would lock the miraculous back in his safe, but Nathalie had the access to the cameras. She could probably get the code in a matter of minutes.

But could she go through with it? This would shatter Gabriel’s trust forever. She was risking everything for another chance at a task already failed so many times before. Why would she succeed now, and on her own?

Anything was worth a chance, no matter how slim the success rate was. This would be the final time she used the miraculous though, and then she would go back to being Nathalie Sancoeur, Gabriel Agreste’s personal assistant. 

Nothing more, nothing less.


	9. Yes, Hawk Moth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A spoiler free Chat Blanc one shot that I wrote before the episode aired today  
Angst warning!

The butterfly landed on delicate feet, brushing its wings against the bell of Chat Noir’s suit. It sunk into the gold like it was melting through the metal, disappearing in seconds. 

Chat’s body started to burn, like it was tearing itself apart from the inside out. Losing control of his limbs, Chat felt his head rise and his eyes focus on something that wasn’t there. Vaguely, he could see the outline of an akuma mask in front of his eyes, and something through the mask, as if it were a window. If only he could recognise the place. 

“Chat Blanc, I am Hawk Moth.” A voice shattered his brain, splintering every thought except for the rage and sadness the akuma was attached to. “I can feel your pain, and I want to help you make everything right in the world again. After all, that’s what heroes do. And you are a hero, correct?”

“I refuse to let you turn me into a monster because I’m angry at one small thing! I am stronger than you and I won’t betray Paris like that!”

“You do not get a choice! I control the akumas, and no one has ever resisted an akuma forever!” Hawk moth threw his baton across the room, only for it to bounce back and smack into the side of his head, breaking his concentration.

Using those few seconds to his advantage, Chat broke free of the akuma’s control and tore off his bell. He turned and sprinted off into the distance, hoping to get far enough away that he could calm down before Hawk Moth tried again.

Once Hawk Moth was stable on his feet again, he picked up his staff and called the akuma back to his lair. “He will not escape. This is not the first time I have akumatised a miraculous holder, and this will be my most powerful masterpiece yet!”

Panting, Chat threw himself into an alleyway to catch his breath. He had run faster than he thought the miraculous would allow, becoming a blur as he made his escape. Now the only thing he had to worry about was keeping his emotions positive enough to stop Hawk Moth tracking him around Paris. “I will not let him control me. I will not become Chat Blanc.”

Forcing all his power into finding the negative emotions once more, Hawk Moth felt butterflies fly past his face, their wings creating whispers against his mask. Seconds later, he was engulfed in a ball of wings, with each insect feeding off the energy of the miraculous.

It worked.

A single thread of anger twisted its way through the streets, calling to him. Begging him to follow it, leading him straight to his target. “Found you, Chat Noir. You can never escape, not as long as your heart aches.”

The akuma took off, heading straight to Chat Noir. He was still crouched in an alley, trying to control his warring emotions. Almost silently, the butterfly drifted towards him, coasting on the slight breeze, until it brushed against his glove and absorbed.

With a howl, Chat leapt to his feet, hands clutching his head. “No!”

This time, he couldn’t stop the akuma leeching into every cell in his body, rendering him completely useless. He heard Hawk Moth speak, but couldn’t respond, even when his lips moved and his body replied. It wasn’t him.

Chat gave up hope when he was engulfed in black and purple smoke, thick and choking as it changed him completely. In the few seconds he was blinded, everything changed around him. He was trapped in the void of his own mind, powerless. It was worse than being trapped in his house before he went to school, it was worse than when he was trapped in the cage Sandboy had created. This time, freedom was right there, but he was too weak to reach it.

His body worked on autopilot, almost as if another person was ordering him around. It must be the akuma, the treacherous bug that had corrupted his brain like a parasite and trapped him like this.

It seemed like being trapped was the worst, until his body started to move. The only way to describe the feeling was falling continuously, forever descending. Everything was numbed, but overwhelming at the same time. Air that wasn’t really there whistled past his ears, screaming at him to do something, to escape.

But he couldn’t.

Time seemed to slow. But it didn’t. The longer he fell, the less he felt. His vision dulled before nearly blacking out completely, the whistling stopped. Either that, or it became so loud that there was nothing else to hear. Chat couldn’t tell anymore.

‘I’ve been falling for thirty minutes,’ he thought, ‘and no one has tried to stop me yet. How long have I been on this rampage. How many people have I hurt? What if I’ve done something to Ladybug?’

That was when something cut through the fog, sharper than any knife. It was Ladybug’s voice. She had finally come to save him. “You will never win. I know Chat Noir is still in there, and I know he’s fighting.”

From deep within the depths of the void, a voice came. It used Chat Blanc as a vessel, something to project the message. “Is he, though? How can you be sure he isn’t gone forever, and I’m the new holder of the cat miraculous? How can you be so sure, Ladybug!?”

“I’m sure because I know Chat. I know that he would never give up fighting, that he would never leave so easily. That’s not like him at all. He’s a hero at heart and no akuma will ever take that away from him!” Without a second thought, Ladybug sprinted forward, her yo-yo spinning faster and faster as she approached Chat Blanc.

“Cataclysm!” Orbs of power formed around Chat Blanc’s hands, scorching hot and singing the air around them. He reached one hand out, catching Ladybug’s yo-yo. It disintegrated instantly. “I thought this was supposed to be unbreakable?”

This was his chance. He could use the final cataclysm to end the fight before Ladybug could get hurt more. She was defenceless, and would only be able to protect herself for so long.

Using every bit of strength he had, Chat pulled himself from the void, back to where he could see Ladybug. She was cowering on the ground, one hand in front of her, as if that would stop Chat Blanc’s advance. “Chat, if you can hear me, help.”

It was now or never. Either him or Ladybug. The breaking point.

He couldn’t let her get hurt.

Shouting from inside his own mind, Chat Noir regained control of his arm long enough to press the cataclysm against his own chest. Chat Blanc disintegrated first, the akuma taking the brunt of the damage. Unfortunately, Hawk Moth had multiplied his powers, and there was more than enough power left to tear through Chat Noir, too.

Ladybug was forced to watch in horror as layers of the hero fell apart in front of her eyes. First Chat Blanc, the akuma, then Chat Noir, the hero. Only when the miraculous was fulling destroyed did the blast of the cataclysm reach Adrien.

It coursed through his body, ripping him apart. Through the seconds of agonising pain, he reminded himself that this was for Ladybug. He had done this for Ladybug. For Paris. He couldn’t be akumatised, he was too dangerous. This was the way things had to end. There was no other hope. This was the endgame, and it was written in the stars to happen like this.

It was the only way.


	10. Muse (Unrequited Gabenath)

She was beautiful. As stunning as any goddess, possibly even more so. That’s why it was so easy to draw her, each stroke of Gabriel’s pencil trying to capture what made her unique; her spirit, her fire, her personality.

That’s why the latest line of clothes Gabriel was designing was going to be called ‘Muse’, named after Nathalie. She filled every page of his new sketchbook, each drawing of Nathalie laughing, smiling, existing, filled in with bright colours and wild shapes.

If only she knew about Gabriel’s feelings for her. Until then, he could only admire her from afar, not wanting to risk her knowing about his designs, in case she thought of them as creepy, or thinking of him as a stalker. He would rather she think of him as anything but.

Nathalie flicked her hair over her shoulder, looking around. She spotted Gabriel, looking at her shyly from the other side of the room. Smiling, she waved, watching as he blushed and tried to hide behind his sketchbook. They only had a few classes together, but Nathalie tried to notice everyone around her.

Gabriel felt like he was about to pass out. Nathalie knew who he was? That was a shock, especially since it opened up the possibility that she knew about the sketchbooks filled with designs starring her as the main focus. Sure, the idea was to show off the different outfits he had created, but it was definitely Nathalie focused.

Sneaking another look at Nathalie, Gabriel saw her smile again. It was brighter than the smile she gave Gabriel, but it looked more fake. Like a smile a model would give to a camera, not a smile someone would give to their friend. Warmth bloomed from Gabriel’s heart. When Nathalie had smiled at him, she seemed genuine, real. Even if it was a smaller smile.

Over time, Gabriel only felt himself fall more head over heels in love for Nathalie. Sketchbook pages filled up faster than they ever had before, and sketchbook after sketchbook was covered in Nathalie in different clothing designs.

She was incredible, but Gabriel knew he had no chance of talking to her now, maybe ever. Hopefully something changed in the future. Anything, really.

[c]|||

She couldn’t get him out of her head. It was ridiculous, it was stupid, it was inappropriate, but she couldn’t help it. Nathalie had a crush on Gabriel, a crush on her crazily strict boss! That shouldn’t happen, especially since Gabriel was married and still very clearly attached to Emilie. Even if she was in a coffin beneath his house.

Somehow, Nathalie needed to get Gabriel out of her thoughts. A long way out of her thoughts. Anything outside of the realm of professionalism needed to be banished to the deepest corners of her conscious. Immediately.

Nathalie leaned back in her chair and wished she could go back to the days of high school. The days when Gabriel had a crush on her, when she knew he used her as a model for the clothes he designed. Before he moved on and married Emilie.

But it was too late to wish, now. It was already too late. Gabriel wasn’t hers. Not anymore. And he probably never would be again.

Nodding to herself, Nathalie tried to make herself accept the realities staring her in the eye. She had been too late, she hadn’t done anything, it was her fault she lost Gabriel. He had made his choices, like she had made hers, and their paths just hadn’t crossed again in the way she wished they would.

If only there was a way to redo the past years, a giant reset button that could give her a second chance. If only she knew what she knew now in high school, she could be with the man she loved, instead of simply working for him. Maybe Emilie would be where she was, pining over a man she could never have.

Expensive shoes clicked down the main stairs and the doors swung open. Gabriel walked inside, already removing his ascot to reveal his miraculous hidden underneath. He must have sensed negative emotions and come downstairs to akumatise them immediately.

“Continue working, Nathalie.” Gabriel didn’t even look at her while he spoke, focusing on pressing the buttons on Emilie’s portrait that would activate the hidden elevator.

“Of course, sir.” Looking back at her computer screen, Nathalie continued typing the email she had been working on for hours, writing it and rewriting it until it was perfect. Anything less from her could put her job at risk, and by extension everything she had worked for could disappear instantly.

It wouldn’t be like she was the first assistant Gabriel Agreste had fired. The only reason she had the job was because she happened to be dropping her resume off as Gabriel fired his previous assistant. She just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and willing to start working immediately. It had nothing to do with anything that happened in high school.

Gabriel himself had said that she was chosen because her resume was impressive, and the fact they knew each other in high school meant nothing. Not wanting to be fired immediately, Nathalie had accepted that version of events without even thinking about them first.

Look where that had gotten her. Sitting in an office as her boss dramatically recruited angry civilians to his cause underneath his house. She worked only a few floors above the man’s dead wife and she still had a crush on him! Who even does that?

As if the crazy obsession with his dead wife wasn’t enough, he spent most of his time sending villains to chase a couple of teenagers around Paris, attempting to steal their magic jewellery. He had a son he could spend time with, but no, it was all about Emilie!

So why was she imaging a future she could never have? Slamming her hand onto her desk next to her computer. It was time for a break, she needed to get her mind of Gabriel for an hour. Knowing Gabriel would hear her from his lair, she shouted into an empty room. “I’m going for my lunch break, I’ll return in an hour.”

Before anyone could stop her, Nathalie was out the door and onto the footpath outside the house. The more distance she put between her and any crazy feelings she was having, the better.

Stopping in a back alley a few blocks away from the house, Nathalie decided it was a good time to remind herself of a few things. Pacing up and down the alley, she muttered to herself and listed reasons she shouldn’t have a crush on Gabriel. “He’s married, he’s obsessed with his dead wife, he neglects his son unless it’s useful for him, he is my boss and it would be inappropriate for anything to happen. He’s the supervillain of Paris! He hurts people for his own gain without even thinking about it, and yet you still have a crush on him? What are you thinking?”

Repeating the list over and over in her head, Nathalie decided she actually needed to get food. Surely, there was somewhere nearby that was open, even during the akuma attack that would inevitably start soon.

Nathalie exited the alley and turned left, looking for anywhere with food. Just as she had taken a few steps, a large shadow surrounded her. When she looked up, Nathalie saw a giant blob of slime falling out of the sky, right on top of her.

The slime surrounded her and started to harden, trapping her in a hardened sphere. There was no way she was getting out before her lunch break was over. Groaning, Nathalie didn’t even try to fight her way out. “This is just another reason I shouldn’t have a crush on Gabriel Agreste.”


	11. A Better Person (Lukchloe)

“You can’t call everyone ridiculous all the time, Chloe.” Luka’s fingers danced across the strings of his guitar, trying to capture Chloe’s heart in a single song. It was hard, since she was so complicated inside, and the surface Chloe was different to who she really was.

Chloe continued filing her nails, barely paying attention to Luka. Even though they were stuck in a prison together after they were kidnapped by an akuma, he didn’t have to talk to her. “I’m clearly the best person in the city, most likely the whole world.”

Luka hid his smile, knowing that Chloe didn’t really mean that. “Do you really believe that?”

“Excuse me?! I am the one and only Queen Bee! I am practically the queen of Paris, and I’m not going to listen to some random goth boy with a guitar!” Chloe stood up and stomped over to Luka, pointing an accusing finger in his face. No one got to tell her what she thought, even if they were kind of cute.

“Listen.” Focusing on listening to Chloe’s heart, Luka played what he heard. Finally, he managed to nail each and every chord, playing perfectly. “This is what your heart sounds like.”

“It sounds too plain to have anything to do with me.” As much as she liked the glitz and glam of her life, it was refreshing to hear someone associate something so simple, yet deep at the same time, with her. “You must be making it up.”

Pausing the song, Luka looked over at Chloe. “Of course I’m making it up, its an original song that no one has ever heard before. I can’t exactly copy it from somewhere else. Especially now that we’re trapped in the middle of an akuma attack.”

Chloe fumed to herself, trying to ignore what Luka was saying. He didn’t need to act like she didn’t know what she was talking about. As a matter of fact, Chloe was sure he knew exactly what she meant, and yet he was giving her sass as a reply. He was being utterly ridiculous!

Just because they were stuck in a bubble created by another akuma, he thought he could pretend to be a musical therapist and play weird simple songs and say ‘they match your heart’, when clearly, they don’t. Nothing about Chloe was simple. She wasn’t basic, and the only things she ever accepted were high end, designer gifts. Nothing subpar, and nothing that took less than a week to create.

She had standards, and she wasn’t going to lower them because of one situation.

While Chloe was internally monologuing, Luka added a few newer cords to the song, trying to work out each layer of personality Chloe was trying to project. The only problem was that the real Chloe contrasted so violently with the fake Chloe that everything sounded horrible, almost like the guitar was screaming in pain.

“I don’t sound like that, I would prefer the simple song, if you could even call it a song.”

Changing back to the first song he had played, Luka looked at Chloe. “You don’t have to be so defensive all the time, you’ll end up pushing everyone away eventually.”

“Sabrina will never leave me! We’re best friends.”

Not quite knowing how to phrase his thoughts, Luka waited to see if Chloe would say anything else. She didn’t, and the silence between them slowly became awkward. Slowly, Luka stopped playing the guitar so the silence became suffocating.

Neither of them spoke for a few moments, until Chloe finally caved and gave in. “If I don’t have any friends I don’t have to worry about one of them hurting me. It’s easier to be mean to everyone than repair the damage I’ve already done. No amount of apologies will make anyone forgive me for getting them akumatised. Kim will never forgive me for laughing at his speech on Valentines’ Day, Rose will never forgive me for tearing her letter to Prince Ali up. I don’t even expect Juleka to forgive me for having Sabrina lock her in the toilets so I could take her place in the class picture.”

“Maybe you need to start with an apology and see what you can fix from there. Rose and Juleka will forgive you if you’re truly sorry, and Kim doesn’t seem like the type of person to hold a grudge against someone who apologises and admits when they’re wrong.” Leaning against the rubbery interior of the bubble, Luka watched as they slowly sunk beneath the surface of Pairs. They had been in the bubble for hours, yet had barely moved.

“I broke Alix’s watch, my mother hates me, regardless of what I do. Everyone in Paris thinks I’m a spoiled brat after I stole the bee miraculous and I don’t want to be alone in the world, but that’s going to happen because I’m a horrible person!” After being rude and controlling for most of her life, being vulnerable was a welcome change. Sure, it was only after being trapped in a bubble that was slowly sinking into the ground, but it was better late than never.

Luka didn’t say anything, choosing to remain quiet as he strummed his guitar. Chloe was finally opening up, and he was fine with waiting until she was finished before he said anything. He didn’t even know if she wanted advice, or just someone to listen to her.

“Are you going to say anything?” Chloe hated waiting, especially now. It felt like Luka was judging her for everything she had said, for all the horrible things she had done to the people around her.

“Do you want my opinions or do you want me to say something that will validate your opinions?”

Chloe didn’t know which one she wanted. On one hand, she wanted to hide away in the security of being right, but she also wanted to be told she was wrong, she wanted someone to say that her mother didn’t hate her, that she wasn’t the monster she pretended to be. “I don’t know.”

“I don’t think you’re as bad of a person as you try to be. Sure, you’ve been mean and rude and a bit of a brat, but you aren’t a horrible person. I can tell that this is eating away at you inside, and that you want to change. Something is stopping you, though, and I would guess it has something to do with your mother.”

“My mother decided it was better to leave to New York than stay here and be my mother. I remember her packing her bags and walking out the door when I was a kid, and all I’ve ever wanted was to be her number one priority. Not her job, but me. I guess the only way I thought I could get her attention was to be just like her, but that’s ruined everything so far.”

“It sounds like your mother is just a bad person, if we’re being honest. How many friends does she have?”

“She’s constantly surrounded by people in New York, everyone wants to be around her.”

“That’s not what I asked. How many real friends does she have?”

“I don’t think anyone would want to be around her except for my father. I can’t even remember the last time she was happy around me.” Dropping her head back against the bubble, Chloe began to laugh. “I’ve been trying to measure my success by how similar I am to her, and look where that’s gotten me. It’s ridiculous.”

Luka looked out of the bubble, seeing a swarm of magical ladybugs heading towards their bubble. “Just apologise, okay? Everything will work out the way its meant to, you just have to make the first step.”

Before Chloe could say anything, the ladybugs surrounded them and she found herself deposited back inside her bedroom, the words frozen on her lips. She usually didn’t open up to people so easily, if she ever told them anything, but there was just something about Luka that made it so easy to talk to him.

Taking her phone from her bed, Chloe opened her contacts and called Sabrina. She had lots to do, but she could start by apologising to her best friend. While the phone rang, Chloe closed her eyes and whispered a quiet ‘thank you’ to Luka. He deserved it.


	12. Moving On (Adrienette)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Older Marinette and Adrien deal with the loss of Master Fu and Gabriel's death.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I know I should be sad, but I just can’t bring myself to feel anything.” Adrien leaned back against the couch, thinking out loud.

Marinette walked back into the room, two warm mugs in her hands. “You don’t have to know how you feel just yet.”

“This is selfish. I’m worrying about how I feel about my father’s death and you’ve lost someone you actually care about. I’m being a terrible husband.” Taking the mug, Adrien leaned forward enough to rest his elbows against his knees.

Sitting down, Marinette moved one arm around Adrien’s shoulders and leant against him, resting her mug on her knee. “You aren’t being selfish, a lot is happening at once and it’s confusing, even for me. I wish I could help you feel better, but I have no idea what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Just sitting here, like this, is helping. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Leaning his head against Marinette’s, Adrien thought over the events of the last week and a half. Their fifth wedding anniversary had rolled around, followed by one of the hardest akuma battles they had ever faced.

Hawk Moth and Mayura had both been working together and forced Master Fu to use his miraculous again. Even though he had defended the Miraculous Box the best he could, but in the end Miracle Queen, Hawk Moth and Mayura had won.

That left Master Fu with only one choice.

When he had made Ladybug the Guardian of the Miraculous, he had lost every memory he had ever made, everything from the identities of the heroes to who he was. He knew nothing. All because of Hawk Moth and his obsession with getting the Ultimate Power.

Only a few days after the battle, Gabriel Agreste suffered a heart attack. Even though he had the best doctors trying to save him, it was too late. He passed away only a few hours later, leaving his company and everything he owned to Adrien, his sole heir.

It had been a turbulent week, but Marinette and Adrien had stayed by each other’s sides the entire time. They were partners, both as superheroes and as civilians. It was them against the world, always. Even when everything seemed to be going horribly, they looked after each other. That’s just what they did.

“We need to talk about something, too.” A few things bothered Adrien. No matter how many times he tried to rethink them, only one possible explanation added up.

“Anything, Adrien.”

“I think my father was Hawk Moth. I know you already thought that years ago, but now I think there’s concrete proof.” The timing matched up too perfectly. Gabriel Agreste dies and a few days later, there is a different Hawk Moth. On top of everything Marinette had found when they were in high school, it couldn’t just be a coincidence. “So soon after my father’s death, there’s a new Hawk Moth and Mayura has vanished?”

“This might just be a coincidence. If this is your way of convincing yourself you shouldn’t feel sad about your father’s death, it’s such a stretch. How would you even prove he was Hawk Moth?”

He owned the Agreste Mansion now, which meant everything inside was his, too. Including all the security cameras and everything they had recorded. “My father was meticulous about filing every little piece of footage from every security camera in the house. If there’s a secret lair in the house, we can find it on those tapes.”

“What if there’s nothing on them?”

“That narrows it down to a few places in the house, and we can search those ourselves.” Drinking the rest of the coffee in his mug, Adrien stood up, determined. “Once we have the miraculous back we can put them with the others and all of this can be over. Ladybug and Chat Noir can retire, Marinette and Adrien can have normal lives. We can have a family without having to worry about akumas.”

“Isn’t it too soon? It’s only been a few days since the funeral, we’re both still processing everything…”

“Do you not want everyone we love to be safe?”

Marinette set her mug on the side table and stood up next to Adrien. “Of course I want everyone to be safe, but are you in the right headspace to receive information that could possibly hurt you?”

“No, but this needs to happen for the safety of Paris! Who cares if I find out he’s a bad person. I already knew that! After Mum died, he practically disappeared.”

Trying to stay calm, Marinette tried to delay the inevitable. Adrien was determined to find those miraculous, even if it made everything worse for him. “You don’t have to do this so soon. The miraculous have been missing for over a century and a half, a few more days won’t hurt.”

“Nathalie was Mayura. And now she’s Hawk Moth.”

“Adrien, stop.”

“I can’t believe I trusted her! She helped me convince Father I should be able to go to school, and she was helping terrorise Paris? How did I not work this out sooner?” Adrien was shouting, getting angrier and angrier by the second.

He felt played. His own father had used him time and time again to get people akumatised. And he had used the threat of taking him out of school against Adrien just to keep him in line, and yet Adrien still couldn’t accept that his father was Hawk Moth years ago?

“Sit down, just think this through for a while. If Nathalie is the new Hawk Moth, she’ll be suspicious if you show up and ask for the files. What if she deletes them?” Marinette placed a hand on Adrien’s arm, trying to calm him down. Her voice was even and controlled, the opposite of Adrien’s. “Do you have a backup plan?”

“She doesn’t seem like the person to just delete years of work and filing because she wants to keep a secret.”

“Did she seem like the type of person that would be a supervillain, either? We can’t assume anything about her anymore. We don’t even know if she is actually the new Hawk Moth, this is all hypothetical.”

“I can’t think of any other explanation! My father dies, then a few days later there’s a different holder of the moth miraculous, calling themselves Papillon de Nuit? The Agreste Mansion is filled with butterfly decorations, and my father’s logo is a butterfly, how much more evidence do I need to stop making assumptions?” 

Adrien was getting desperate for Marinette to prove him wrong, for her to produce any kind of information that would prove his father’s innocence again. Sure, Gabriel had barely been a father to Adrien, but that didn’t mean he deserved to be remembered as one of the worst things to happen to Paris.

People remembered him for other reasons, of course, but if this got out to the media it could ruin the Agreste image forever. Gabriel Agreste would go from a talented fashion designer to a disgrace. 

Maybe Adrien wouldn’t care so much if it wouldn’t affect Marinette, too. She was Marinette Agreste and was in the fashion industry too. If the Agreste name was forever marred with a supervillain, her career might take a nosedive almost overnight. 

“Look, Adrien, now isn’t the time to be dealing with it. Master Fu doesn’t remember anything and he’s left Paris was Marianne, I’m the new Guardian, Hawk Moth has been replaced, your father passed away and our five year anniversary was recently. I can barely think straight with everything that’s going on, can we worry about the old Hawk Mother later, whether or not he is your father? Please?”

Adrien turned and looked at Marinette. She was the woman he had fallen in love with, logical kind Marinette. Sure, she let her emotions override her thoughts sometimes, but she usually put everyone else before herself. To see her standing in front of him, looking like she was about to shatter, broke his heart. He had been so caught up in his own world that he had ignored the fact that she was in pain, too.

“I’m sorry, Marinette.”

“We just need to work together.” Linking her fingers with Adrien’s, Marinette squeezed his hands. “We can get through anything, together. I promise.”


End file.
